The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the light of rising temperatures, starting tomorrow, has warned of a potential flood situation due to glacial bursting in the northern areas of the province.

A KP PDMA spokesperson noted that the high-risk districts include Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, and Kohistan.

A glacial burst or glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) refers to an outburst of water from a glacial lake which could lead to severe flooding downstream.

Last year in August, a glacial lake outburst hit a village in Upper Chitral district, displacing 30 families. Experts warn that about 10,000 glaciers in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan have been reported to be receding due to climate change induced temperature rise. Pakistan is home to over 13,032 glaciers, the largest reservoir of glaciers outside of the Polar Regions.

The KP PDMA has directed the concerned administrations to take immediate measures in case of any situation and to alert the population of high-risk areas. The spokesperson urged the public to report any untoward situation to 1700.

The spokesperson further added that the KP PDMA’s Emergency Operations Centre is fully functional while emergency services and rescue personnel should stay alert and be prepared in advance with emergency equipment and available resources.

Tourists have been advised to take precautionary measures and avoid unnecessary travel.